He enlisted in the USAAF on 24 February 1943. After enlisting in the USAAF, he was trained in the maintenance and repair of the mechanical parts of the B-25 Mitchell and earned his crewman wings. He was trained as a gunner. He was sent overseas to India in November 1944. On 17 January 1945, a B-25H, # 43-4493, “Gloria,” assigned to 10th Air Force, 341st Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Squadron, departed the airfield at Warazup, Burma, on a mission to drop O.W.I. propaganda pamphlets over villages from Kyaukme to Namhsan; the hill villages in the vicinity of Namhsan; and Mongtat village; and crashed enroute at about 1340 hours. The crew was briefed to fly to Mongmit, fly a heading SE to the Namhsim River, pick up and follow the road and turn South toward the rail-line, but to avoid the rail-line and Kyaukme. From a point a few miles North of Kyaukme, they were to fly along the road North to Namhsan, covering the villages enroute. From there, they were to skirt the Namtu mines area enroute to Mongtat and head for their base. The aircraft did not return from the mission. He is remembered on the memorial wall of the missing in the Manila American Cemetery & Memorial, Philippines. A memorial marker was placed in the Pine Hill Cemetery, Davenport, Iowa. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

His brother, William E. Hess, born 16 March 1919, served in the U.S. Army, Staff Sergeant, 73rd Field Artillery Battalion (Belgium, France & Germany – Battle of the Bulge) from 21 October 1941 to 5 December 1945. He died 16 April 2004 and is buried in the Pine Hill Cemetery, Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa (Sec. 2, Lot 107).

ZAIONTZ, STANLEY JACOB, JR., Corporal, # 18232866, USAAF

Stanley J. Zaiontz Jr. was born on 11 February 1915 in San Antonio, Bexar Co., Texas, to Stanley J. Zaiontz (1898-1962) and Telka (Mergle) Zaiontz (1903-1986) of 609 Gulf St., San Antonio, Texas. A brother was George Andrew Zaiontz (1926-1980).

After enlisting in the USAAF, he was trained in the maintenance and operation of the radio equipment on the B-25 Mitchell and earned his crewman wings. He was trained as a gunner. He was sent overseas to India. On 17 January 1945, a B-25H, # 43-4493, “Gloria,” assigned to 10th Air Force, 341st Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Squadron, departed the airfield at Warazup, Burma, on a mission to drop O.W.I. propaganda pamphlets over villages from Kyaukme to Namhsan; the hill villages in the vicinity of Namhsan; and Mongtat village; and crashed enroute at about 1340 hours. The crew was briefed to fly to Mongmit, fly a heading SE to the Namhsim River, pick up and follow the road and turn South toward the rail-line, but to avoid the rail-line and Kyaukme.